Karnataka Court Denies Bail To Prajwal Revanna In Rape Case, New Charges Filed

The Special People Representative court in Bengaluru, Karnataka, denied bail to suspended Janata Dal-Secular leader Prajwal Revanna on Wednesday in connection with an ongoing investigation into an alleged rape case. The complaint, filed at Holenarasipura police station in Karnataka, also implicates his father, HD Revanna.

During the bail hearing, the Special Public Prosecutor (SPP) argued that IPC Section 376 (rape charges) had been added to the case, emphasizing the seriousness of the allegations as grounds for denying bail. The case, registered on April 28, alleges sexual assault against their domestic help.

On June 25, the Karnataka Police’s Special Investigation Team (SIT) investigating sexual assault and harassment cases against Prajwal Revanna filed a fourth case. This new case includes charges of sexual harassment, stalking, criminal intimidation of the victim, and unauthorized recording and sharing of the victim’s images.

The FIR names former BJP MLA Preetham Gowda from Hassan, along with two others, for allegedly sharing videos recorded by Prajwal Revanna during the harassment. The victim’s complaint states that these actions caused immense embarrassment to her family.

The fourth FIR includes charges under IPC sections 354A (sexual harassment), 354D (stalking), 354B (assault or use of criminal force), 506 (criminal intimidation), and 66E of the Information Technology Act (capturing, publishing, or transmitting images of private areas without consent).

Prajwal Revanna returned to India from Germany nearly a month after departing, allegedly on the night of April 26, following the circulation of explicit videos purportedly involving him on social media platforms. He was arrested on May 31 upon arrival at Bengaluru airport.